Stay Close, Don't Go
by BerryEbilBunny
Summary: Artemis has a pretty screwed up life, running from the League of Shadows, but guess who's always there? The Wallman.
1. Stay Close

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own anything DC, except for my Superboy shirt and Batman belt. So yeah…. Don't sue me. That'd be nice. Oh yeah, I was severely inspired by Secondhand Serenade for the title and idea.**

"Oh God, oh God…" Artemis muttered to herself hysterically while she tried to scrub the offensive rod splotches off of her costume. Hyperventilating, she tried to stop the tears that pooled up in her arms. The usual sass and scowl she wore was nowhere to be found, as she scrubbed harder. Her hands shook as she pulled them away from her soaking green suit after she dropped it in the dirty tub water. Like a newborn foal, it took her several attempts to stand up with her shaking knees and approach the sink. Gripping with the edges of the counter with her sore, red hands she stared at her gaunt face and notes with annoyance that her face has ugly red splotches accompanied by stray strands of blonde hair.

Slowly, she turned on the facet and splashed her face. She felt the slightest tad bit better after putting her hair back into her usual ponytail.

Again and again, Artemis asked herself what she thought she was doing. Then a rapid knock on the motel door caught Artemis out of her spiraling thoughts. She didn't know how much longer she could keep running and hiding. It was getting ridiculous to be afraid of her own shadow and jump at every little noise. Her nerves had been long since frayed and shot after the first year of running from her family. She prowled carefully to the door with a crossbow in her hand.

Cautiously, she peeped through the hole and allowed herself to relax a little.

With a sigh she opened the door, she scowled at the teen who had nearly given her a heart attack, "Wally, I swear, I am going to shoot an arrow up your ass if you follow me again. For that matter, how the hell did you find me in _Saybrook_, Illinois for God's sake?"

"Oh, Gorgeous, I know you'd never hurt my ass. You wouldn't want to ruin its perfect shape." He teased as his friend crinkled her nose in feigned annoyance. They both knew that she enjoyed the spontaneous visits he made after she spent weeks in despair. His vividly beautiful green eyes made contact with hers and he spoke softly, sweetly, "Besides, M'gann checks on you every now and then. You know that. The only reason I don't come every time you move is because you don't always have a clear destination in mind."

Artemis shrugged before locking the door behind KF. She couldn't stop her nomadic ways just to please her sort-of-boyfriend. They both knew that if she ever stopped running the League of Shadows would try to brainwash her like they tried two years ago. Wally gave her a feral smile as he patted a spot on the bed right next to him and, amusedly, Artemis joined him. Confusedly, Artemis smiled shakily back, "What's the matter, Baywatch? Did someone finally get fed up and pulled your tongue out to end all our miseries?"

"Always the tease, aren't you, Arty?" Kid smirked back as pulled out a box from the shoulder bag he had unslung. Artemis took the box gratefully and wondrously. The colorful, shiny wrapping was incredibly eye catching and the bow was large and velvety. Slowly, Artemis looked up at Wally whose smile brightened up his sleep-deprived eyes and she asked him nervously, "What is this for?"

"This is a gift from The Team. All of us really miss you, even Roy and Conner. All of us know now that it wasn't your fault that your Dad is an asshole. We all had our secrets and we all are sorry for being unable to do more. We know you won't be coming back, at least for a while, but we still want you to know that you still matter to us and… I am rambling aren't I?" Artemis nodded in tiredly happy sort of way while Wally's face attempted to blend into his hair. He shook his head and tried to clear it of his confusing thoughts that ran too fast for him most to comprehend. With a big breath, he tried to summarize what he had been trying to desperately tell her, "We just want you to know that no matter what you are a part of us and Happy Third Anniversary."

Artemis couldn't believe that it really had been three years to this day since she first joined the Team.

Looking into Wally's eyes with her piercing green ones, she set the box aside and for once Baywatch was the one who was confused by her actions. She closed her eyes and thought back to when things were so much easier and she hadn't just murdered her older sister a few hours ago. So tired, was all that was all that she could comprehend clearly and allowed herself to lay her head atop the redhead's extremely warm shoulder as they wrapped their arms around each other. Wally had understood that she was too tired but understood his sentiment. He was grateful to say the least that they had this high level of understanding between them. The blonde had one last request before she allowed herself to succumb to sleep, "Hey, Wally, can you tell me a pick-up line?"

"Why?"

Artemis let out a snort, "It reminds of what a smooth nerd you are."

"Alright, um, I just got blinded by your beauty, may I have your name and number for insurance purposes?" She allowed herself to laugh a little at his corniness. Wally watched as her smile diminished but not completely as she slipped away into her dreamland. He hoped she wouldn't be leaving in the middle of the night. Her even breathing was soothing as he tried to imagine what it was that made her get swept off her feet by him of all people. Thinking about her perfect little feet made him smile a little and thought about how she was perfect for any worthy guy but he wouldn't be able to ever take for granted her perfection. Everyday, he wondered if he could ever do better for her sake. Falteringly, his heart dropped like a rock into his stomach.

But he had a feeling that everything will be all right in the end.

In the morning, the former archer pulled away from her sleeping companion and packed up as quietly as possible. As she unlocked the door she heard him rustle awake and gave up her stealth to just book it. Wally shot up like an arrow and ran after her before she could manage to give him the slip again. Some days, he forgets why he tries so hard to stop her from running and others he understands that the League of Shadows have already murdered her mother and Kaldur so she is trying in her own way to save him.

He super sped towards her before she could even start her motorcycle. Desperation colored his eyes; he ran faster than necessary and ended up skidding to halt in an attempt to stop her. Then Artemis followed suit and skidded to an abrupt stop barely avoiding a collision into her not-exactly-boyfriend. She pulled off her helmet roughly and allowed her long ponytail to cascade down her back before snarling at him. His hands rested on the front of her baby as he heaved out a sigh, "I know I'm an idiot and all that, but I don't think I could stand praying for you to stay just for one whole day in my arms like the old days when I know it's all futile."

"Wally, you know I—," Arty couldn't say it. Ashamed, she looked away from his piercing stare.

He clenched his fists, painfully, until his knuckles turned white. The slightest tremor in his voice gave away how nervous he was at prying, "I know what, Arty? What do I know? Because I'd sure like to know that for myself."

"Just move, West. I can't handle this anymore," She stared him down even while she pulled on her helmet. He seethed as he finally broke the unspoken stare down, but, even then, he stood before her, obstructing her exit. The blonde rolled her eyes as she maneuvered her bike slightly awkwardly to get around the motor mouth she still harbored feelings for. She snapped at him, "God, KF, can't you be mature for once in your life?"

"I'm immature? You can't handle this?"

"I think we're already established this."

"Enough with the sarcastic and degrading remarks, Artemis!"

She turned on her motorcycle and it roared to life as she yelled in frustration, "Well, I'm sorry that's all I have left!"

This time Wally went red with anger. He watched her, motionlessly, as she sped off. Discreetly, she wiped a pathetic little tear that had somehow escaped her iron will. But far behind her, Wally West was preparing himself to repeat the dreaded cycle that was changing ever so slowly. They would go through similar motions until they got a different result.

Until then, when she was able to come home, he would wait.

**AN: Thanks for reading. Please review, if not that's okay too…. I wasn't really sure what I was doing with this.**


	2. Don't Go

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I no own DC or The Maine, which helped me finish this weeks before I thought I would be ready to.**

Artemis, more agitated than usual, dug through her duffle bag and backpack while throwing various items around her cheap motel room. There seemed to no relatively clean clothing left except for the clothes she was wearing and she refused to go to the Laundromat at—she checked her wristwatch—4 in the morning. She sighed as she flopped down onto the cut-rate sheets in exasperation. She had barely any time to sink into the creaky spring mattress fully when she hopped, rather ecstatically, up. Grabbing her keys, she skidded down the concrete steps to her beloved motorcycle where she unlocked the hidden compartment within the back seat. She graciously pulled out a small messenger bag and took it to her room.

Greedily she undid the latches and pulled out a set of clean clothes she saved for emergencies like this. She tossed the bag aside with a heavy clunk and headed to the somewhat dirty bathroom that was so alike to the ones she had been at before.

Her life had attained evident monotony ever since that last fight with Wally. It still pained her every time she thought about it although she doubted she'd ever admit it and the little box he had given her seemed to haunt her. She knew that it was that box which had noisily landed within her bag and it was that very same box that she didn't dare to open. Every time she fell into one of her lows she felt a certain sort of pull towards it, which was why she didn't dare to remember her bag before then.

The hot shower soothed the tense muscles in her back and the sore bruises she had from completing this last assignment. The Justice League still contacted her with a paper with an address on it on her doorstep whenever she needed refilling of her pockets. Somehow they knew when she was low on cash and used her as a covert agent to collect information rather than a whole team. The Team had been recruiting new members as of late and old ones were departing ever so slowly. For some reason, it broke Artemis' heart to know that things will never be the same as it was. Sighing, she turned off the shower and wrapped a rough towel around her now too skinny body.

She then heard a knock on her window after she harshly shoved her limp, long hair into a ponytail. Immediately, she perked up in faint hopes that it would be her knight-in-stretchy-spandex. But alas, it was another package. She heaved another exasperated sigh as she shoved the money-filled package into her backpack. The world seemed to press heavily onto her delicate shoulders as she flopped onto her bed tiredly and began to dream, fitfully, of her memories.

She wasn't quite sure what time it was when she awoke but she figured that it must've about nine since there was traffic in the streets where people were doing their daily commutes to work. Since she figured everything was open she shoved her dirty laundry into her duffle bag and backpack and a few quarters as she drove into town to search for the local laundry mat. It wasn't until she began folding her clothes back into the bags when a local newspaper caught her eye as it pressed lightly against the door. The date was a few days old and it was in Spanish as she was in Mexico. She racked her brain trying to read the headliners but then realized that Kid Flash and his mentor were the front-page story.

A small smile graced her lips as she struggled to read on about the speedsters' most recent adventure in a few towns over. They were following her trail, funnily enough. Idly, she wondered if Batman had told them that she was the informer to all these drug busts.

Dismissing her thoughts, she folded the newspaper up and stuck it in her backpack to read back at the motel.

When she arrived she allowed her curiosity to get the better of her as she dug the newspaper back out of her backpack and noticed a sticky note and a messaging device inside of the last page. It was from Batman; he had known that she would be the one to pick up the paper, somehow, and informed her that it was okay for her to check up on the lead she got from the last drug bust. She sighed as she looked out of the slightly smudged window that was dotted with dead bugs and bird poop. The sun was setting and she had to suit up.

Through out the ride to the stereotypical, abandoned warehouse, she wondered if it was okay for her to be so wrapped up in KF everyday and the way he had looked the last time they had fought. It had been months since she last saw him and felt a little guilty about how she depended on him so much to make it through the week. His visits used to be the highlight of her life but now the only excitement she could feel was when she read about him in the local paper. She parked her bike close to a fence and hid it with debris.

Inaudibly, she dug through her duffle bag for her quiver and bow as well as a pair of binoculars. She missed the days when her missions were composed of more than just stakeouts but some real butt-kicking action. The only time she ever got into a decent fight was when the mission went south or someone was asking for it. Even then it wasn't much of a challenge. Faintly, she reminisced about the good old days with really bad guys and clever comebacks. Guilt befell her heart as she recalled Kaldur's good-natured mediation between she and Baywatch as well as her mother's kind words of advice after seeing her father. Who knew he'd kill her so heartlessly in front of Artemis?

Movement brought back Artemis to her mission as she alerted Batman to what she observed. They were sloppy and careless and so cliché that Artemis nearly fell asleep listening to Batman's commands. When he finally commanded her to go in she perked up instantly and was a lot more vigilant. After finishing up scouting, she disguised herself before heading back to the motel.

It felt like Artemis' life had been a series of repetition yet she had to remain tiredly on her toes for her fear of death was stubborn. But that didn't mean she didn't stumble quite a bit while tiptoeing around the continent.

The next morning she was notified that the enemy surrounded her and they were thoroughly prepared to bomb the motel. She was grateful that she had decided to park her bike a few blocks down and snuck out through the bathroom window as she held her bags close to her body as she jumped around and ran. Without sparing a look back, she left town to the border and back in town the pair of speedsters arrived soon after to apprehend them.

It was hardly two hours when she saw on television that they had been spotted in Mexico.

She had parked herself in front of a local diner in Arizona when she realized that he seemed so cold and distant as he waved to excited fans and the camera. The energetic smile he had wasn't megawatt and he denied the chance to be interviewed on live TV. Artemis thought back on the saying: you know something's wrong when a dog won't eat.

It was a few weeks later when she realized once more that little box was haunting her; it popped in and out of her dreams. It got to the point where Artemis ripped the bed sheets off of her entangled legs and just stared angrily at the box after setting it harshly on the bedside table. She realized now that the bow was getting all crinkled, the paper was getting white at the folds and the tape was beginning to rip. It seemed that it was tempting her to open it even while it was in its dilapidated state. The colors didn't seem as bright as when she first got it but nonetheless they were pretty. The box seemed to chant softly as she glared at it, "Artemis, take pity, open me."

It repeated itself over and over again. She squashed the extra pillow over her head like an ostrich, but as the voice was in her head it got louder rather than quieter. She finally tossed off her ridiculous shield and sat up, indignantly and picked up the infuriating box.

With trembling hands, she pulled the ribbon free and peeled off the wrapping paper.

The box itself was red, not unlike blood, but rather, a cherry red. It was a little crunched, of course, due to the amount of roughhousing the archer went through on a regular basis. She didn't dare shake the box but nervously pulled out the top. All at once, she wanted to cry, scream and laugh, for at the top of the tissue paper was the very same bug she had planted to mislead Wally in a failed attempt to prove her worth to the Roy clone.

He had truly forgiven her and was willing to let go of everything, for that she was thankful. She held the broken device close to her face within her clenched fist.

With her other hand, she checked the box for any other surprises and was pleasantly surprised. Quickly, she let out a thrilled little laugh, the first in months as she quickly packed and went to check out from the grimy motel room. Although, it was nearly five in the morning, Artemis didn't care because she was finally going home. It wasn't that she never could, that was simply her own fear of the League of Shadows and what they represent, but now she had the strength to go home, to her Baywatch. She refused to stop to rest, only to eat and use the bathroom because she was beyond fearful that she would chicken out if she could sleep on it.

Her heart skipped a beat now that the memories of him were so good. He was going to be the death of her if her heart kept beating this way, but she could already taste how close he was, how close freedom was.

And it all felt so amazing.

In her hoodie pocket, she felt her gifts resting on her lap and was spurred on throughout those four days of riding. By the time that she arrived in Happy Harbor, she was pleasantly tired but felt that sleeping would be a complete race of time. As she arrived on Mount Justice, the computer allowed her in and she quietly slipped in. That was when all the fears occurred in her mind, what if he found a new girl already? What if he had stopped loving her? What if he hated her, again?

An excited shout distracted her. Nightwing ran over to her and she was surprised by how tall the former Robin had gotten, but laughed all the same when he swung her around with a grip around her waist. His suit had changed dramatically but his dark locks hadn't.

They stopped when they heard a little voice that sounded vaguely familiar. Artemis laughed again as she pulled out from her an action figure. Nightwing had been wondering what had been irritating his chest throughout their jovial reunion. He laughed as well when he took the action figure that the former archer held in her hand. It was a product about a few years or so old and he recognized it from Wallman's giant collection of superhero franchises. Slowly, Dick turned the figure around and pressed the little button on its back, instantly they heard Robin's memorable melody of cackling laughter followed by his prepubescent voice, "I hacked the motion censors."

Again, they laughed, doubling over. Artemis then showed him the sticky note that had been stuck to the figurines and written in Baywatch's characteristic sprawl. He handed her back her now precious gift and read the note to himself, "For when you begin to miss us."

It was like he knew that she would open it all along. Even after all these years, they were on the same wavelength. Even when they argued and agreed they knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Thinking back fondly on old memories, Artemis smiled brightly as she asked about her other half's whereabouts. Nightwing handed back the sticky note before directing her to the redhead's new apartment. It turned out he was living in Palo Alto while attending his studies. Nervously, Artemis double-checked her hand where Dick had written the address and made sure that she had the correct place. Her wet boots squished merrily along in contrast to her guts, which were trying to do a front flip while going backwards.

Stiffly, and with the greatest hesitance Artemis knocked on the door twice. Promptly, the door opened. Artemis looked with wide eyes at the slightly taller frame of her heart's desire, but the way the door had swung open so quickly made her paranoid that he had been waiting for her all this time. The awkward speedster leaned against his doorframe in an overly cool manner that suited Superboy better than he. It was then that she was absolutely positive that he had been anticipating her return as much as she did. The thought warmed her a bit as she gave a quick glance down in a lame attempt to compose herself.

She cleared her throat quickly and managed to weakly say, "Wally…"

In all those months in solitude, it felt mind-blowing to say his name once again and have his eyes light up in the same way that they always did when it was her who called him. Before it was painful to even think it, but now it felt so much like a blessing that she wanted to scream it. He dropped the cool act immediately as she spoke his name over and over again and wrapped his arms around her protectively. It was then that she realized that she was lightly crying as she buried her face into his extremely warm neck. All at once she was laughing and pulling him inside as if it were her own home that she was inviting him into. The apartment was very him and very messy as he was still in the process of unpacking the numerous boxes that were scattered about.

Even so, she dropped her belongings on the floor and plopped herself on top of the table as it was the only clear place to sit. Wally shook his head in amusement. It was like nothing had changed and that in itself was miraculous. He trapped her by placing his arms on each side of her lap and leaned in real close and whispered gently in her ear, "You've been gone for too long, Arty. You're so mean to me."

"I am not that mean!" She crinkled her nose in protest as he laughed and hopped on the table to sit next to her. The table groaned beneath their combined weight.

"You know I love you, right?" Artemis said out of the blue and into the former silence that had settled over them while Wally played absentmindedly with her left hand. She had finally said what she had craved to finish all those months ago and received a grin in return for her efforts. Lazily, he slung his arm around her neck and flashed his signature self-satisfied grin that made her think of innocent birds about to be swallowed whole by an ecstatic cat, "Right, I know."

"I drove for days on end for you to say 'I know'?" She threw her hands up in frustration. Ridiculously, his grin grew bigger as he replied, "You forgot the "right" part."

She groaned at his wit with which he chuckled.

"You're like a PMSing Superboy." The dual insult caused Artemis to slap his arm and then she bit her lip in thought. She pulled out the little broken bug and tilted her head to the side as she spoke, carefully choosing each of her words so that it didn't come out all wrong, "I thought that this would stay in your little trophy room."

"But I think it represents a different mission now, this one's better," She smiled at his heavy implication that all of this had been one big adventure and a new beginning. In a way, she couldn't agree more with him, but died a little on the inside when she thought about how many bad things had to have happened for them to get to this point, this one perfect moment that she would lock inside her heart. With a quiet sort of strength, she clenched her hand in his slightly larger one and wished that she could use it as a bandage on all the horrible memories that threatened to sweep her away. She slowly closed her eyes and said aloud, "Do you think we could still be heroes after this?"

They leaned together, nose to nose.

"No," Wally stated firmly. If they brought back that sort of crazy into their lives once more they would constantly be afraid that they wouldn't be able to come back to this. Artemis nodded and they heard Wally's phone ring, effectively ruining the moment that they were formerly sharing. They answered immediately when they realized who it was, Richard's voice carried through the speaker, "Kaldur's alive, and we're heading towards you guys."

At last, Artemis pulled out the last gift she had received. It was another figurine and this one was better than last, at least in her opinion. It was of Kid Flash and he too had a button on his back. With an exasperated look, Artemis pressed it. Kid Flash shouted out in his prerecorded voice.

"Dude!"

**AN: Love it? Hate it? Burn it? Please review! Thank you! This was mainly for the benefit to those who wanted it to end a bit more like this.**


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